Violence Strikes Dallas Once Again

Steps away from the site where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated more than 50 years ago, five police officers were shot dead Thursday night. Seven more were wounded, along with two civilians.

These officers were protecting a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in response to the recent deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, both shot by police. Photos from the evening showed police and protestors walking side by side in support for one other.

And then a senseless act of violence ruined it all.

For a city whose history and identity is inextricably tied to Kennedy’s death, the deadliest day for law enforcement since September 11, 2001 is especially painful.

A mural of President John F. Kennedy is seen on the wall of a business, Saturday, July 9, 2016, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Dallas has fought for decades to escape the gloomy specter of death that shrouded it after Kennedy’s assassination. Progress has been made, but the old wounds were reopened when a sniper took aim at Dallas once again.

After Kennedy was shot, the rest of the country distanced itself from Dallas where a popular president was killed. Last night’s events demonstrated that the tensions that turned violent in 1963 are still present in 2016.

We’re 50 years past the Civil Rights Movement, but need it more than ever.

The divisiveness which existed at the time of Kennedy’s death has not yet fully subsided. As Democratic Congressman John Lewis, a champion of civil rights, said this morning, “The scars and stains of racism is still deeply embedded in American society.”

Activists across the country have pointed toward bad police officers who have perpetuated racial tensions as evidence of these scars. But Dallas was different. Following years of specialized training that made it a model department, the Dallas Police force had earned a reputation for successfully teaching de-escalation and community policing.

They were, in many ways, a great example for the rest of the country. Excessive use of force complaints, arrests, and even the murder rate plummeted. In a difficult, dangerous, and divisive line of work, Dallas police officers were undoubtedly leading the way through a program of responsible, community oriented policing tactics.

To this end, the officers in downtown Dallas last night were there to simply protect the demonstrators. There was no agenda other than doing their jobs, even though the protest was aimed at highlighting brutal police behavior. And when shots rang out, the officers ran towards the gunfire.

At an early morning press conference, Dallas Police Chief David Brown said “There are no words to describe the atrocity that occurred to our city. All I know is that this must stop, this divisiveness between our police and our citizens.”

President Obama also spoke out against divisiveness in remarks given from Poland early Friday morning: “If communities are mistrustful of the police, that makes those law enforcement offers who are doing a great job, who are doing the right thing, that makes their lives harder.”

Division helps nobody. Now, more than ever before, Dallas needs love.

The time for politics will arrive eventually. But that time is not now. Both presidential nominees seem understand this.

Donald Trump delivering his most thoughtful statement yet, calling the deaths of Castille and Sterling “senseless,” calling for “strong leadership, love and compassion”

Hillary Clinton, in an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN, pointed out the necessity for community policing and support for police officers while expressing her condolences for the atrocities: “We’ve got to do much more to listen to one another, respect one another.”